Fence-post.



No. 753,892. 4 PA TENTEDMAR. 8, 1904.

M. E.'LERGH.

FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED my 3,1903

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No. 753,892. g

Patented March 8, 1904.

PATENT OE Ic MARSHALL E. LERCH, OF LAVVSONHAM, PENNSYLVANIA.

' FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 753,892, dated March 8,1904. Application filed May 8, 1.903- Serial No. 156,267. (1% model.)

To all whom, it may concern: Be it known that I, MARSHALL E. LEROH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lawsonham, in the county ofClarion, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to fence-posts; and it .has for its object toprovide a metal fencepost which may be driven into the ground and whichincludes a main or upper body portion to which the fence-wires areattached and lower stakes which are driven into the ground and to whichthe body portion is removably connected.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood fromthe following description.

. In the.drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of post embodying thepresent inventionIv Fig. 2 is a transverse section through thecross-beam which connects the upper or body portion of the post with thestake. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing a second form of cross-bar.

Referring now to the" drawings, there is shown a post comprising a bodyportion 5, consisting of a plate of metal having slots leading inwardlyfrom one edge thereof, each slot comprising a straight inwardly-directedstem portion 6 and a transverse head portion 7 at the inner end thereofwhich projects at opposite sides of the stem portion. The uppermost ofthese slots is shown with its stem slanted downwardly, while the headportion is horizontal or transverse to the post. The second slot has itsstem portion extending transversely or at right angles to the post andits inner end portionextending vertically.

The lowermost slot has its stem portion ex-' that any desired numberv ofslots may be formed in the post and that they may be of any one of thespecific shapes shown.

The body portion of the post has a base consisting of stakes 8 and 9,which are adapted to be driven into the ground and at the upper end ofeach of which stakes are formed transverse perforations l0 and 11, whichare spaced vertically of the posts.

In connection with the stakes and the body portion of the post isemployed a cross-bar 12, having perforations 13 at its ends whichreceive bolts that are engaged also through the perforations at theupper ends of the "stakes, so that the cross-bar is held removably tothe stakes. The object in forming a plurality of perforations in eachstake is in order that the cross-bar may be secured thereto in ahorizontal position even if the stakes are not driven into the ground tothe same extent.

In the cross-bar shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings the central portionthereof is laterally ofiset and forms a seat in which the lower end ofthe body of the post is fitted, said body portion being held in the seatby means of a bolt 15 engaged through the body of the post and theoffset portion of the cross-bar. The body is thus held to the basesecurely but removably by means of a single bolt.

InFig. 3 of the drawings there is shown a cross-bar 16, which may beemployed in connection with the stakes and body above described andwhich has two perforations 17 through its middle portion to receivebolts for'holding the body thereto, it being understood that when thiscross-bar is used the body of the post has two perforations to receivebolts.

Insetting up the posts the stakes are first driven into the ground andthe cross-bars are then bolted thereto, the bodies being then bolted tothe cross-bars, it being understood, however, that the bodies may bebolted to the cross-bars before the latter are bolted to the stakes.After the post is set up the fencewires are attached thereto byengagingthem with the slots of the body of the post, the wires being .held inthe slots by means of keys 18. Each key consists of a metal block, oneside edge of which is at right angles to the ends thereof, as shown at20, while the opposite side edge 21 is converged in the direction of theedge 20. On one face of the wedge is a longitudinal rib 22, the upperface of which is parallel with the edge 20 of the metal block, while theopposite face of the rib is beveled to the edge 21 of the block to formthe slanting face 23, which gradually decreases in Width from one end ofthe block to the other. After the wire is engaged in a slot to lie atone end of the head thereof the wedge or key is engaged in the head,with the rib thereof projecting into the stem of the slot, and as thekey is forced inwardly the broader portion of the face 23 enters thestem of the slot with a wedging action to force the face at the oppositeside of the rib against the corresponding wall of the stem of the slot.The result is that the key is wedged firmly into place Without pressingagainst the wire and the latter is prevented from disengagement from theslot, while longitudinal against the shoulders, said cross-bar alsohaving a socket between the reduced portions, of a body portionremovably secured in the socket and adapted for attachment of wiresthereto.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARSHALL E. LERCH. Witnesses:

L. P. ARNER, W. M. ARNAGOST.

